Venturada Uses Livestock to Prevent Forest Fires

The City Council implements preventive grazing with horses, sheep, and cows, combining tradition and GPS technology to reduce fire risk.

Generic image of livestock grazing on a hillside with houses in the background.
IA

Generic image of livestock grazing on a hillside with houses in the background.

The Venturada City Council has launched a pioneering preventive grazing initiative to reduce the risk of forest fires in the municipality.

Under the slogan ‘Grazing Livestock, Safer Mountains’, this measure leverages the natural work of horses, sheep, and cows to clear dry vegetation in high-risk summer areas. The animals graze in the gullies of Cotos and adjacent areas, creating a continuous natural firebreak.
The project combines traditional livestock farming with technological innovation. Some of the livestock are equipped with smart GPS collars (virtual fences) that define action areas without needing permanent physical barriers. In other zones, electric fences and temporary enclosures are used.
The main benefits of this measure include effective fire prevention by consuming fine, dry vegetation, zero municipal cost, support for the local primary sector, and ecological sustainability by avoiding heavy machinery and reducing emissions.
The City Council requests citizen cooperation to ensure the operation's success, asking for respect for signage, not tampering with enclosures or electric fences, and maintaining a respectful attitude towards the animals.